The subject matter disclosed herein relates to maintaining electrical power to a utility meter and in particular to an adapter that provides electrical power to the utility meter while reducing the potential for a hot socket condition that may be present as a result of using insulated sleeves.
Electrical power is typically generated at centralized generation facilities such as coal-fired, natural gas-fired, or nuclear power plants. The electrical power is distributed to end users through electrical networks maintained by electrical utilities. As the electrical power is transmitted through the electrical network, a number of components and systems are used to monitor and control the flow of electricity. A substation, for example, is a facility used to transform the generated electrical power into a form that is usable by the utilities customers.
The end user, or customer, typically purchases the electricity based on the quantity of electrical energy that is consumed by the customers. To facilitate the accurate monitoring of the customers consumption, the utility installs a meter where the electrical power enter the customer's facility. The meter typically includes a sensor, such as a current transformer that measures the amount of electrical power consumed by the customer. The CT is arranged to provide a current in its winding that is proportional to the current flowing through a conductor that is adjacent the core.
In some circumstances, it may be desirable to disconnect the electrical service from a customers facility, such as if the customer has moved and the facility will be unoccupied. The electrical utility typically desires to keep the meter installed and powered for accounting and safety purposes so that the utility may monitor and verify that no electrical power is being consumed and maintain communications with AMR meters. To achieve this, a utility may install a “boot” or an insulating sleeve on the load terminals. However, in some circumstances this may lead to a hot socket condition by spreading the jaws on the customer's equipment. Alternatively, some utilities have used disconnect adapters that allow the meter to remain powered, but reduce the chance of a hot socket condition. While these adapters have been successfully used, they are often difficult to install in the field.
Accordingly, while existing devices and methods for disconnecting electrical services to a facility are suitable for their intended purposes, there remains a need for improvement in providing a meter adapter that may be easily installed to keep the meter powered, and easy to remove the adapter and the meter from the adapter to be re-installed in customers equipment once power is to be restored.